'Culinary Class Wars' contestant Yu Bi-bim confesses to illegally operating his restaurant

In a handwritten letter posted on his social media Friday, Yu said that he was arrested and ordered to serve an eight-month probationary sentence in 2015 for illegally operating his establishment, Bibim Sori, in Jeonju, North Jeolla.

Yu Bi-bim as King Bibim from the Netflix cooking survival show "Culinary Class Wars," left, and a profile shot of Yu [JOONGANG ILBO]

Yu Bi-bim, also known as King Bibim from the Netflix cooking survival show "Culinary Class Wars," illegally operated his bibimbap restaurant and has recently closed shop.

In a handwritten letter posted on his social media Friday, Yu said that he was arrested and ordered to serve an eight-month probationary sentence in 2015 for illegally operating his establishment, Bibim Sori, in Jeonju, North Jeolla.

"I've been involved in many business ventures, including street fruit and food stalls and even a hair salon, but failed each time, and in 2003, opened a restaurant without a permit."

Yu Bi-bim's hand-written apology letter about his illegal operations, posted on Instagram on Friday [JOONGANG ILBO]

The court during Yu's trial had said, per the local news outlet Yonhap: “Considering the fact that he disregarded the law several times over an extended period of time, continued to operate illegally despite successive crackdowns, changed business owners to circumvent the law and accumulated hundreds of millions of won in net profits from his illegal business, the sentence should serve as a wake-up call."

Yu subsequently closed the restaurant for a year but reopened the eatery by "bending the rules" again, registering it as a "Korean performance, exhibition and food experience center" under his wife's name.

His fame after airing on "Culinary Class Wars" last month has put him and his illegal operations back into focus and he has been receiving civil complaints and warnings from administrative agencies since.

“I know that there is no justification for breaking the law,” Yu wrote. ”My wife and I have not had a single day of peace of mind since I was suddenly in the spotlight."

Yu Bi-bim's restaurant Bibim Sori in Jeonju, North Jeolla [JOONGANG ILBO]

Yu recently decided to close the restaurant. The venue is currently open as a free exhibition place about Korea's bibim (mixed food) culture. Bibim Sori will reopen as a legal restaurant in Jeonju Hanok Village, Yu added.

"I spent the last 20 years trying to sustain a living, but I will live the next 20 years for the bibim culture of Korea," Yu said. "I am truly sorry for letting everyone down."

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]